Are you a junior working in the Melbourne advertising industry? Are you still trying to figure out if awards are a waste of time or the key to success? Well here’s your answer: Who cares! Award shows are fun and winning awards will get you a better job, but not winning them doesn’t make you a loser and making ‘effective’ work isn’t such a bad thing to strive for. Now that you know the secret, ENTER OUR VERY FIRST JUNIOR SPONSORED AWARD AT THE MADC AWARDS. It’s way cool and your best chance of winning something this year. If you’re a little unsure whether your work is up to scratch, let us introduce you to Richie Ralphsmith — el presidente of the Melbourne Advertising and Design Club (http://www NULL.madc NULL.com NULL.au/awards/), and Deputy CD of CHE (http://www NULL.che NULL.com NULL.au/). He’s pretty much THE GUY at the MAD-SEES (http://www NULL.madc NULL.com NULL.au), so listen carefully cause he’ll convince you otherwise. Then enter, enter, enter, you crazy foooools. P.S. THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JUNE 9! ENTRY DETAILS BELOW! HURRRRYYY

Junior: Why should anyone reading this enter the MADC Junior award?

Richie Ralphsmith: Enter it because it’s the only award in Australia that acknowledges the contributions of juniors in the industry. It’s the only award that recognizes that you guys usually get poor briefs and paltry budgets. On top of that, you’re still learning the ropes. So when entering an award you shouldn’t be pitted against a CD with 18 years’ experience.

Enter because it shows your CD that you care about great creative work and about awards. While you’re at it, remind him or her that entering the Junior category is half the price of the other categories.

Enter because it’s a good way to get your ticket to the night paid for. If you’re a finalist, the agency will fork out for you.

Enter because winning it could be your ticket to your next job.

Jr: Turning something shit into gold is a lesson that continues to appear in our interviews. And everyone knows juniors get the stuff no one else wants to work on. Do you think that’s what the junior category will be rewarding?

R: The judges will know when a piece of work has made something out of nothing. They’ll be taking that into account. Of course, juniors occasionally get great briefs as well, and do terrific jobs on them. What really matters is the end result. You guys shouldn’t be striving to produce good pieces of work, considering the brief. You should be aiming for great work, regardless of the brief. This isn’t the Special Olympics.

Jr: When you’re a junior it’s pretty easy to think your work isn’t good enough, so you don’t enter, and then miss the hell out on winning stuff you probably could have won. What would you say to someone not sure if they should enter their work?

R: I was going to say just enter it. But if you’re not sure whether your idea is good enough, ask your CD.

Jr: Got any tricks we can use to make it easier to judge our work and give us awards?

R: No tricks. Just make the entry clear and easy to understand. The judges will see through, and penalise, any overcompensation.

Jr: Now, tell us, you’re a deputy creative director and president of the MADC – did winning awards get your to where you are today? How important should winning awards be to us juniors trying to climb the ranks.

R: Awards are very important. But the thing that will build your careers is getting yourself into a position where you can do effective, award-winning work on a big client. That will get you further than winning Cannes Gold for the corner dog wash.

Jr: You guys have a student category (http://www NULL.madc NULL.com NULL.au/awards/entry NULL.php?a=catdesc&catid=39&eid=1) too – it seems pretty open – what kind of work should the kids be entering? What do you think the judges will be looking for in this category?

R: Just enter your very best ideas. The entry criteria are all the same. It’s the judging criteria that are different. The judges will make a bit more allowance for inexperience.